Hello World of Bongs Community, well known through her incredible carved cameo work, we had the opportunity to make a interview with Babedrienne (Adrienne DiSalvo):
“WHAT GOT YOU INTERESTED IN GLASS IN THE FIRST PLACE?”
“Fire! I love any technique that utilizes fire! I am a metalsmith as well as a glass artist, the initial draw to both of these processes was that I could tame the flame to make beautiful works of art.”
“WHERE DID YOU LEARN YOUR SKILLS?”
“I learned my skills at art school– first I learned metalsmithing at Pratt fine art institute in New York, and then I learned Glassblowing (soft glass) at the Cleveland Institute of Art. As a cold worker, my carving skills can be attributed to my knowledge of both of these fields.”
“DO YOU CREDIT ANY OTHER GLASS BLOWERS WITH HELPING YOU ACHIEVE YOUR SUCCESS?”
“My husband Chadd Lacy and I work as a team quite often. we definitely help each other along as artists. It’s not always easy, but we push each other to constantly improve and create.”
“TALK TO ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR STYLE. IT IS VERY IMPRESSIVE!”
“I think my style can be a little dark, but also whimsical and playful. Humor is very important to me, both in everyday life and in my art. Most of my work is collaborative. My subject matter is usually anatomical. I enjoy looking deeper into another glass artists piece and dissect it’s anatomy. I find inspiration in old anatomical prints.”
“WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU MOST LIKE TO WORK WITH?”
“I use metal and borosilicate glass. Usually the metalworking I do also involves glass parts. Most of the glass work I do is Coldworking. I also do some kiln work for glass parts.”
“WHAT’S THE MOST FAVOURITE PIECE YOU’VE EVER MADE?”
“That’s a tough question. I think it’s a tie between my Spermaceti Seesaw collaboration with Chadd Lacy, and the carved Kraken collaboration I just finished with Wicked Glass (Watch on Facebook how this amazing kraken is made) They both took a long time and are technically intricate pieces.”
“WHAT WAS YOUR WORST MOMENT ON THE PATH TO “MAKING IT” AS A GLASS ARTIST?”
LOL No comment.
“AND WHAT WAS YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT?”
“My proudest moment might be finishing this last Kraken. I knew it was one of the largest carvings I’ve ever tried to do, but I didn’t realize how much of a challenge carving around every delicate tentacle would be.”
“WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO NEW GLASS ARTISTS?”
“My advice would be… that being an artist is hard. Learn how to budget and invest wisely in the tools that you need. Do lots of research and don’t stop learning!”
“WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE EXTRACT AND WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PIECE TO DAB IT IN?”
“I only dab CBD isolate. I have Lymes Arthritis and the CBD helps because it is an anti-inflammatory. My favorite piece to dab with is my Jeff Heath (Jeff Heath Glass) – Ampolina.”
“IF YOU COULD MAKE YOUR “DREAM” PIECE, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE?”
“I’m currently in the process of making my dream piece! It’s a surprise, I won’t tell what it is yet!”
“WHO WOULD YOU LIKE, MOST OF ALL IN THIS WORLD, TO HIT YOU UP FOR A PIECE, AND WHAT PIECE WOULD IT BE?”
“I would love to make a pipe for Martha Stewart. I would imagine that she might not want a pipe that is obviously a pipe, so i think she would rather have a sculptural object that hides its function as a pipe, such as the Spermaceti Seesaw collab I did with Chadd.”
“WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR GLASS ARTISTRY IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY? FIRST WE HAD BONGS, THEN THE RISE OF DAB RIGS HAS SERIOUSLY ELEVATED THE STATUS OF GLASS ARTISTS – WHAT’S NEXT?
“Fine Art Pipes are definitely the future. This niche already exists, but I can see so much room for growth. As legalization in the US continues, and more people accept the place that Cannabis has in our lives, the appreciation for fine art pipes will grow.”
“IF YOU WERE SHIPWRECKED ON A DESERT ISLAND AND YOU COULD ONLY HAVE THREE ESSENTIAL PIECES WITH YOU, WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE, AND WHY?”
I would choose to have an Ouchkick full-size real functional toilet, because I don’t want to poop in the woods like an animal. I would also bring the MrGray and Darby Holmes Ganjaninja swordpipe set, so that I could have some utility knives. Lastly, I would want a simple clear marble, so that I could utilize its optic qualities to start fires.
“WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE MUSIC TO WORK TO?”
I have an eclectic mix for my studio music. A little bit of Childish Gambino, Tyler the Creator, Glass Animals, Dirty Projectors, Son Lux, Massive Attack, Young Fathers, Die Antwoord, James Blake, Dan Deacon… just to name a few.
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